Sir Francis Drake: A Look into His Early Life
Many scholars around the world know that Ferdinand Magellan was the first to circumnavigate the world, but few people know that Sir Francis Drake was the first to circumnavigate the world and live to tell the tale afterwards (Campbell 207). In order to complete such expeditions of circumnavigating the world, Sir Francis Drake had to learn special talents and task before embarking on his expeditions. He was given the opportunity by his mother to go learn and train with his older cousin, John Hawkins, and John’s dad, William Hawkins about anything and everything pertaining to ships, politics, and government issues (Kelsey 9). After his training, he began to go on more trips across the sea to where he finally, at the age of 22 was appointed captain of his first ship (Campbell 5). Every voyage, battle, and attack Sir Francis Drake encountered and experienced seemingly helped give him brilliant ideas on what he wanted to do next, and how he wanted to do it.
The date of Sir Francis Drake’s birth date is not precisely known, but most scholars came upon agreement that he was born in either the month of February or March of 1540 (Campbell 3). As a young boy, Sir Francis Drake’s father was not around much. This was due to his father’s fleeing of the country and parish after steeling a horse from a man, by the name of Harte, by knifepoint (Kelsey 7). His father’s absence did not really have a horrible effect on the home life for Sir Francis Drake as he was sent off to live with his prosperous relatives in Plymouth, the Hawkins family. Back in the 16th century it was common for parents to send their children off to serve their rich/prosperous family relatives or friends in exchange for educatio...
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...become more than a measly old pirate cutting off little merchant sailors for little to no profit. He wanted to perform such bigger tasks as well as conduct them, which will lead him later to the attack of Nombre de Dios 2 years later on July 22, 1572 (Campbell 6-8).
From this research Sir Francis Drake was a natural born sailor who was not born at sea, but rather raised by a sea-driven/seafaring family of the Hawkins who gave him every opportunity to put on display his talents aboard a ship at a very young age. He took these teachings that he learned from the Hawkins, especially William Hawkins, and put them into effect during his first years alone at sea. Sir Francis Drake’s early life teachings and lessons along with his first expeditions as a young captain helps build a fire in him that only makes him want to strive and achieve more as a captain and seaman.
A voyage set in the direction of Virginia was set by captains Philip Amada and Arthur Barlow by the authority of Sir Walter Raleigh who was given permission from Queen Elizabeth II. They set sail in the month of April 1584 and reached in July of that same year, once they disembarked there was rejoice, gun shots flew into the skies, as well as a the people gave their appreciation to god for helping them arrive safely to Virginia. The initial picture made of Vir...
took his place as the pirate to gain his fortune to return to Buttercup. Another example of
The word "privateer" conjures a romantic image in the minds of most Americans. Tales of battle and bounty pervade the folklore of privateering, which has become a cherished, if often overlooked part of our shared heritage. Legends were forged during the battle for American independence, and these men were understandably glorified as part of the formation of our national identity. The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of these men were common opportunists, if noteworthy naval warriors. The profit motive was the driving force behind almost all of their expeditions, and a successful privateer could easily become quite wealthy. In times of peace, these men would be common pirates, pariahs of the maritime community. Commissioned in times of war, they were respected entrepreneurs, serving their purses and their country, if only incidentally the latter. However vulgar their motivation, the system of privateering arose because it provided a valuable service to thecountry, and indeed the American Revolution might not have been won without their involvement. Many scholars agree that all war begins for economic reasons, and the privateers of the war for independence contributed by attacking the commercial livelihood of Great Britain's merchants.
the myths of his voyages begin with himself. For it was he who reported to
Sir Francis Drake was just the man the British needed to destroy a dominating Spanish monarchy. The Queen however was embarrassed half of the time for Drake’s ability to take basic orders and expand on them to greater serve himself and his country. Although this jeopardized the safety of the Queen by provoking the Spanish into war. Sir Francis Drake was a man who was feared by all countries who sailed under the Roman Catholic Church’s flag. He was hated by some for his piracy and rude, abrupt behavior. He was not a gentleman by British standards, but he was a fair and generous Captain known to let his captured prisoners go free. In some cases even the captured crew and their ships would be let go. He is not totally a just man, he was known to buy favors, and in one case even killed a man because of their disagreement in the Pacific Ocean. But by most people he was a man admired for his clever seamanship and treatment of his fellow sailors. And most of all, he w...
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, navigator, and colonizer. He was born around 1451 in Genoa, Italy. He was the son of a wool merchant. As a young man, he studied astronomy, geography, and history. As a teenager, Columbus went to sea participating in several trading voyages. Once he grew up, he went of four voyages himself that opened the way for European exploration, exploitation, and colonization of the Americas. He made his voyages under the sponsorship of King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I. He was given three main ships; the Santa Maria, the Pinta, and the Niña. After he got old and discovered a few things, he died on May 20, 1506.
Many children, including myself, have once played the game Marco Polo. Although, I have always been curious, who exactly is Marco Polo? My fascination of Marco Polo warped into a fixation of his travels. Marco Polo was born in Venice in the year 1254. His father, Nicolo, and his uncle, Maffeo, were merchants who had seats in the great nobleman council of Venice (Polo IV). According to his records, he had traveled thousands of miles with his father and uncle.
Sir Francis Drake was an English sailor who has been remembered for many of his greatest achievements that still influence the world to this day. One of his greatest achievements was to be the first Englishman to circumnavigate the world. He was considered a pirate by many, especially the opposing Spanish, but he did greater things than an average pirate could do. He was Captain and admiral of many ships and commanded multiple expeditions all around the world, with many taking place in the Caribbean. Francis Drake knew the waters of the world like the back of his hand, and would have helped lead our other pirates to being an unstoppable force on the sea.
und three hundred men. His journey took him around three years and while making this journey he was thinking about no one but himself. Magellan took all the credit for everything and without his crew members he would be nothing and could not have achieved half as much. He also ended up using violence to make people change they way they believe. Magellan was not worth defending and shouldn't get all the credit he does.
Christopher Columbus was one of the most legendary sailors and explorers of all time. Christopher Columbus , an italian explorer, was born in the year of 1451 in the Republic of Genoa. Christopher Columbus was a teenager when he first set sail the ocean in 1465. He became a sailor in 1476 and started to travel many places before going on his largest voyage in 1480. In 1492, Christopher Columbus exploration to the New World linked Europe and the Americas. His discoveries enlightened the globe and started a new age of exploration. His standards and morals changed the history of the whole globe. He was known for traveling for all types of reasons for many foreign monarchs. But why would a monarch from one country be interested in employing an explorer from a foreign country to complete such an important task?
In 1572 Drake sailed from England with two ships and 73 men. They landed at a small island called the Isle of Pines and began preparations for his attack on the Spanish. His plan was to sack the city of Nombre de Dios. On their first attempt they did not succeed but they made another soon after. They then took the town of Nombre de Dios on the Isthmus of Panama, they captured a ship in the harbor of Cartagena, they burned Portobello, they crossed and re-crossed the isthmus, and they captured three mule trains bearing 30 tons of silver.
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He sailed and navigated other great explorers like Lewis and Clark and Henry Hudson, but in 1492 he was called upon for a solo expedition by the King of France. Jacques Cartier’s goals was to find a Northwest Passage to India, find the lands with spices, and find new places to trade. Cartier had a series of three voyages in his expedition which is what he is famously known for. Cartier started to sail in 1534, arriving 20 days later to explore the west coast of Newfoundland and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, discovering some new lands. Cartier return back home to tell the king about his expedition, he also brought back Native American Captives.
Sir Humphrey Gilbert and his half-brother Sir Walter Raleigh were both veterans of earlier colony efforts. In 1578 Gilbert managed to acquire a patent from Queen Elizabeth that would let him have exclusive rights for six years to find any land he chose and build a successful colony. After numerous setbacks Sir Gilbert led an expedition and took possession of land called Newfoundland. He then continued down the coast to set up a military post in hopes that it would one day become a profitable colony. Unfortunately for Gilbert, he ran into a storm and he was lost at sea.
Henry Cavendish began attendance to the University of Cambridge in St. Pete’s College on November 24, 1749 at the age of 18. On February 23, 1753, four years later, he left the university without graduating. After ex...